The present application relates to the transmission of information via electronic mail and more particularly to the secure transmission of electronic mail that allows for confirmation of receipt of all sent documents by both the sender and the receiver.
In recent years, it has become common practice to transfer information electronically. Techniques which have been proposed include the use of the Internet through email or the use of the internet through an FTP server. Unfortunately, these two methods are non-secure, do not guarantee delivery, and require a manual process by both the sender and receiver. Users of electronic mail have had increasing concerns with the security of sending electronic mail. It is generally impossible for a receiver to ascertain whether all sent documents have been received. Mail that has been misdirected or intercepted is generally undetectable to the intended recipient of the electronic mail and often is also undetected by the sender. While some systems allow a receiver and/or sender to ensure a level of security, no currently available systems automatically provide all of the services described above.
To remedy security concerns, it has become common practice to send electronic mail through an intermediary service that uses a dedicated line or have the sender and receiver establish their own connectivity such as a Virtual Private Network (VPN), leased lines, dedicated circuits, or any other workable connection. These techniques can be expensive and may require subject matter expertise. Intermediaries typically charge by the page or by size for each transmitted document as the connectivity itself is quite expensive and the cost is passed along.
In view of the deficiencies described above in the known interfaces, an alternative is needed for efficiently and economically transferring documents through the Internet using an electronic mail system.
In accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a secure information transmission system for securely transmitting electronic files from a source system to a host system. The secure information transmission system comprises origination tools on the source system including encryption tools for encrypting a data file for attachment to an outgoing email; destination tools on the host system including decryption tools for decrypting the data file; and delivery confirmation tools on both the source system and the host system. The delivery confirmation tools comprise list generating tools connected with the first system for generating a list of sent data files successfully transmitted during a given time period, means for maintaining a list of received files during the given period on the host system, and comparison means connected with the host system for comparing the list of sent files with the list of received files.
In an additional aspect, a secure information transmission system for securely transmitting electronic files from a source system to a host system is provided. The secure information transmission system comprises origination tools on the source system for creating and sending files. The origination tools comprise file generation tools for generating a data file, an encryption engine for encrypting the data file, failure indication tools for detecting rejected files from the encryption engine, attachment tools for attaching encrypted files to an email message, and emailing tools for forwarding the email message to the host system. The system additionally comprises destination tools on the host system for receiving the email message. The destination tools comprise an inbox for receiving the email message, message extraction tools for extracting file attachments, decryption tools for receiving the extracted file attachments, error detection tools for detecting unsuccessful decryption attempts, and an outbox for receiving decrypted files and providing them for processing.
In yet an additional aspect, a secure information transmission system for securely transmitting electronic files from a source system to a host system is provided. The secure information transmission system comprises origination tools on the source system for creating and sending files. The origination tools comprise file generation tools for generating a data file and an associated index file, an inbox for storing the generated data file and the index file, examination tools for examining files stored in the inbox to verify that all stored files include an index file paired with a data file, an encryption engine for encrypting the pairs of data and index files, failure indication tools for detecting rejected files from the encryption engine and the examination tools, attachment tools for attaching encrypted files to an email message, and emailing tools for forwarding the email message and attached files to the host system. The system further comprises destination tools on the host system for receiving the email message. The destination tools comprise an inbox for receiving the email message, message extraction tools for extracting file attachments, decryption tools for decrypting the extracted file attachments, error detection tools for detecting unsuccessful decryption attempts, and an outbox for receiving decrypted files and providing the decrypted files for processing. The system further comprises delivery verification tools, the delivery verification tools comprising source list generating tools for generating a list of successfully sent files from the source system, host list tools for generating a list of received files at the host system, and comparison tools for comparing the list of sent files with the list of received files at the host system.
In yet another aspect, the invention comprises a method for securely transmitting electronic files from a source system to a host system. The method comprises: (a) encrypting a data file for attachment to an outgoing email using encryption tools; (b) decrypting the email with destination tools on the host system including decryption tools for decrypting the data file; and (c) confirming delivery using confirmation tools on both the source system and the host system. Confirming delivery comprises, generating a list of sent files sent during a given time period using list generating tools connected with the first system, maintaining a list of received files during the given time period on the host system, and comparing the list of sent files with the list of received files using comparison means connected with the host system.
In yet an additional aspect, the invention comprises a method for securely transmitting electronic files from a source system to a host system. The method comprises (a) performing a remote process including generating a data file, generating an index file for pairing with the data file, and sending the data file and the index file to an inbox. The remote process further comprises examining the index file in the inbox to determine if the index file is valid, encrypting at least the data file paired with a valid index file, testing for successful encryption, attaching successfully encrypted files to an email message, and sending the email message to the host system. The method additionally comprises performing a host procedure. The host procedure comprises the steps of receiving and storing the message from the source system, extracting the data file and index file from the message, decrypting the data file upon successful extraction, and moving the decrypted message to an outbox for processing by another system.
In yet a further aspect, the invention comprises a method for securely transmitting electronic files via email from a source system to a host system. The method comprises performing a remote process. The remote process comprises the steps of generating a data file, generating an index file for pairing with the data file, and sending the data file and the index file to an inbox. The method further comprises examining the index file in the inbox to determine if the index file is valid, encrypting at least the data file paired with a valid index file, testing for successful encryption, attaching successfully encrypted files to an email message, and sending the email message to the host system. The method further comprises performing a host procedure. The host procedure comprises the steps of, receiving and storing the message from the source system, extracting the data file and index file from the message, decrypting the data file upon successful extraction, and moving the decrypted message to an outbox for processing by another system. The method additionally comprises performing a delivery verification procedure. The delivery verification procedure comprising the steps of, generating a list of successfully sent files from the source system, generating a list of received files at the host system, and comparing the list of sent files with the list of received files at the host system.
These and other features, objects, and advantages of the preferred embodiments will become apparent when the detailed description of the preferred embodiments is read in conjunction with the drawings attached hereto.